MYTHVSFACT​

I smoked Marijuana and I am fine, why should I worry about today’s kids using it?

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Marijuana is not a “gateway” drug

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Studies are showing that Marijuana is in-fact addictive. The Rise in THC levels in Marijuana (from 1-2% in the 1960's to 80-90% now) is causing severe side effects Hallucinations and psychosis. People have been found to suffer from withdrawals to include irritability, suppressed appetite, restlessness, sleep difficulty, physical pain and much more. Due to cross breeding Marijuana plants and extracting Oil from the plants today's marijuana is much more potent and thus much more dangerous.

Due to there being no contamination testing standards, Marijuana in Colorado has been found with traces of heavy metal, fungus, bacteria, mold, Mildew, E. coli and salmonella. (JTNN 2015)​

​Marijuana plants have also been cross bred many times to alter the levels of THC the plants provide, therefor changing the chemical structure of the plant and making it more potent. THC (the psychosis element in Marijuana) levels have been recorded as high at 90%, a big difference from the 2-4 % in marijuana in the 1960's. ​

In Colorado Research has found that Crime rates with marijuana have in fact stayed the same and even increased in areas. Retail Marijuana costs more than "Black-market" street sales of marijuana. Though marijuana is easier to access in retail stores, it costs much much more. Many people are resorting back to buying from street dealers illegally seeing as they can get more for their money. Also, since Marijuana has been legalized in Colorado they are seeing that of age people are accessing marijuana easier and selling to minors. Teens and Young adults are finding that it is easier to get marijuana than alcohol and cigarettes.

As THC levels are on the rise, more and more people are suffering from a Marijuana Overdose. The THC levels are unregulated therefore can be unknowingly extremely high. THC (which is the Psychosis drug in Cannabis) can be very dangerous if too much is consumed. Dabbing, which is taking concentrated amounts of THC Oil and placing it on a hot coil and inhaling the smoke, and edibles whit are treats made with cannabis oil are especially dangerous. Overdose is becoming more and more dangerous with the expansion of edibles. The effects of an edible can take 45 minutes to an hour to take effect, many people tend to eat more than the recommended amount as they wait for the effects to occur, thus consuming dangerous amounts.

The FDA has not concluded in any way that marijuana is classified as a medicine. The National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine (IOM), has concluded that smoked marijuana should “generally not be recommended for medical use.” There are lots of dangers to the inhalation of marijuana smoke, to include 50% to 70% more cancer-causing substances than tobacco smoke.

Marijuana today is very different than it was back in the 60's, 70's, 80's and even 90's, looking at the chart below, you can see that the levels of THC have drastically increased to dangerous levels. Especially with synthetic marijuana and concentrated versions of marijuana such as dabbing, cannabis oil, shatter, budder, wax, and edibles, THC has increased to unbelievable levels causing serious and permanent brain damage, specifically to teens and young adults whose brains are still growing and developing.

We know that most people who use pot WON’T go onto other drugs; but 99% of people who are addicted to other drugs STARTED with alcohol and marijuana. So, indeed, marijuana use makes addiction to other drugs more likely (S.A.M.) Many studies have shown that there is a link between Marijuana, cigarettes, and alcohol, as being "gateway" drugs for stronger more potent drugs such as prescription drug abuse, cocaine, heroin, and Meth. In a study conducted by Yale University they found that "They also found that both men and women who had smoked marijuana between the ages of 12 and 17 were more than two times more likely to later abuse prescription drugs than those who had not." (Hackman) The common Misconception that marijuana is safe because it is natural (and legal in some states) that it must be OK for you, then the search for a bigger different "high" begins which is when experimentation happens. It is also linked to the people that marijuana users hang around, and creating peer pressure to try different Illicit drugs,

If you or someone you know may be having an overdose pleasecall 911 immediatelyOR Contact theOverdose Hotline- 1-800-222-1222

The Churchill Community Coalition is Located in the Old Post Office at 90. N. Maine St.We are open Monday through Friday and closed on federal and state holidays. If you need to contact our office Please Call (775) 423-7433

This publication was supported in whole or in part by the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Agency (SAPTA) through State General Funds and/or the SAPT Block Grant for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. DHHS, SAMHSA, or the State of Nevada.